On January 28th; the U.S., Canada, and 47 European countries take time to acknowledge the importance of privacy and data protection best practices.
Although this day has its roots in protecting personal data, specifically with attention to social networking, the Internet of Things (IoT) and interconnectivity of our lives has created a new world of vulnerabilities. Businesses and individuals are faced with mounting threats and the implementation of sound and trusted security processes is paramount.
Soon, all of our cars, homes, and wearables will be linked (if they aren’t already); sharing and granting access to our sensitive data. Yet, most of the time, we don’t think about how these devices work and how the information is protected. By institutionalizing third party validations and security certifications, we can guarantee this information is protected from those with malicious intent.
Already certain industries have begun to use security certifications such as Common Criteria in order to provide device security hardening. Common Criteria is an internationally recognized set of guidelines for information technology security products. It provides assurance to buyers that the process of specification, implementation and evaluation for any certified computer security product was conducted in a thorough and standard manner.
After two individuals proved that hacking a connected car was not merely feasible, but entirely practicable, industry began to react. Fields like the connected car and IoT have begun to adopt certifications to prevent security breaches that could put our personal data at risk, or even worse, our personal safety.
As technology advances, we have the opportunity to create a world where life is easier and we open lines of communication that were once unfathomable. As this happens, we all need to be more aware and proactive to ensure we are working together to secure our digital world.